Identity and Passport Service
MINUTES
Independent Assurance Panel (IAP)
Tuesday 19th June 2007, 10:00-13:00
Phone Conference
Chairperson:
Alan Hughes
IAP Member
AH
Members:
Fergie Williams
IAP Member
FW
Peter Simpson
IAP Member
PS
John Clarke
IAP Member
JC
Malcolm Mitchell
IAP Member
MM
Attendees:
Bill Crothers
Executive
Director, IPS BC
Commercial
Dominic Hartley
Chief
Business IPS DH
Architect
Xxxxx Xxxxx
Programme
Support IPS XX
Manager
Secretariat:
Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Programme
Support IPS XX
Officer
Agenda Item Comments
Agenda
Agenda Item comments
Presenter
Item No.
1.
IAP Theme 1 : Building the NIS Infrastructure
BC
Framework Project Update
The panel were advised that a set of papers has been produced for review by
senior management in advance of issuing the OJEU for the IPS Strategic
Supplier Framework (ISSF).
ACTION : IAP to review the ISSF documents and provide comments to BC.
HM Treasury approval is still awaited for the NIS Business Case. The OGC
Gateway Review 2 outcome was Red with three immediate recommendations.
BC advised that a detailed project plan has now been produced.
IPS wants to select 5 strategic suppliers to the framework. BC advised the
successful bidders would be individual companies, although it is recognised that
it is likely that all of the prime bidders will need to appoint subcontractors to be
able to offer the full range of services required. The panel queried how IPS
intended to manage this and BC advised that IPS would be introducing
appropriate controls and will manage this by a risk based approach.
It is intended that packages of work will be broken down into a number of
projects and within these a number of phases. Whilst suppliers will be awarded
a project there will be ‘break-points’ between phases which will be subject to a
performance review before allowing the supplier to proceed to the next stage.
Supplier performance will be monitored by technical and behavioural indicators.
Sanctions for poor performance will include being terminated at the end of a
phase or removed from the framework. BC acknowledged the difficulties in
changing supplier during a project.
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Agenda
Agenda Item comments
Presenter
Item No.
MM advised building a stage towards the end of each phase for suppliers to
provide documentation in preparation for the next phase.
BC advised the IAP of the selection method to reduce the number of bidders
down to a manageable number for final selection. MM suggested that one way
to determine the final number of strategic suppliers might be to inspect the
number of interfaces and determine relevant criteria which would then drive the
test. BC advised that careful consideration was also being given to the
packaging strategy so as to determine the number of packages of work in
relation to the scheme architecture.
IAP had 4 main areas of concern regarding the procurement strategy :
1) Current IPS resources do not have the capabilites or experience to manage
the procurement. BC shared these concerns and explained he was developing
a model to enable IPS to act as an intelligent customer and also perform gap
analysis to identify skills shortages. The model would then determine the
sourcing approach. BC advised that IPS was looking for individuals from DWP,
OGC, HMRC, MOD and others suitably experienced to manage an IT
procurement of this size.
ACTION : IAP to share information on any suitable resources for the
procurement if available.
2) Under the proposed structure the system integrator would be IPS. The IAP
felt such integration would be particularly complex in the proposed structure.
Given the lack of adequate expertise in IPS, the IAP questioned the approach,
highlighting this as a major area of concern. Even if systems integration
expertise was procured externally, ultimate responsibility for monitoring and
ensuring its’ success would rest with IPS. Long term and for steady state IPS
would need to look at civil service pay and put together a case. FW advised
that DWP had been successful in persuading the Cabinet Office of the need to
pay market rates to recruit the necessary expertise The IAP noted they had not
yet seen any plan detailing how IPS intended to manage systems integration.
ACTION : AH to discuss how systems integration will be managed and the
proposed approach with David Foord (OGC).
3) IAP discussed the idea of terminating under-performing suppliers at the end
of phases. The IAP emphasised that change of supplier or termination needed
to be a last resort and that there should be other remedies before sanctions are
invoked. The IAP suggested procedures to give early visibility of issues and a
clear escalation procedure need to be introduced. MM suggested that if
terminations occurred, key individuals should move with the contract.
4) IAP felt the selection criteria for suppliers should be more heavily based on
proven experience and capability rather than company revenue as presented.
2
IAP Theme 2 : Benefits Realisation
PS/AH
Beneficiary Engagement
PS reported on the work of the Business Development Advisory Group (BDAG)
and Customer Confidence Forum. PS stated the prime benefit of the NIS is
building the identity infrastructure required for the future. This infrastructure
must allow the management of identity for the nation as a whole. PS
acknowledged it was difficult to quantify this in a cost benefit analysis. There
may be supplementary benefits, such as those identified by Crosby, but if this
main objective is not fufilled the scheme is meaningless. PS advised there is
not sufficient articulation of the links between what IPS is trying to do, the
articulation of benefits to the citizen and the planned procurement. FW
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Agenda
Agenda Item comments
Presenter
Item No.
suggested it may be easier for IPS to consider the costs to the country which
would result from not building the infrastructure.
AH updated the panel on the work of the Public Private Forum on Identity
chaired by Sir James Crosby. Key concepts which Crosby has been testing
include :
1. Uniqueness of Identity underpins the scheme;
2. The citizen must have trust in the scheme;,
3. The public sector is best placed to deliver a ‘universal’ scheme ;
4. The private sector will deliver long term value to the consumer ;
5. The scheme must reach critical mass within the next 5 years.
The consultation work has now finished and one-to-one meetings are being
held to validate the material being put together for the final report, expected in
July. PS stated the first 3 objectives would be a result of the basic
infrastructure which is for the public good. It is difficult to analyse specific cost
benefits around these.
MM raised concerns about the lack of discussion coming out of the forum
around support requirements for such a sophisticated scheme. The IAP agreed
that if Identity Management includes the requirement for an Identity enquiry
intermediary to protect the citizen, it will need to be a regulated and transparent
structure to build confidence.
The Panel agreed the scheme would encourage joined up government as a
whole. However this did not rely on the ID card.
3.
Assurance Arrangements
DH
Following the proposed revised structure for assurance across the programme
agreement is sought from both the Biometrics Assurance Group and the
Independent Assurance Panel to the new arrangements. DH advised that BAG
had been consulted over the proposal and that there was general agreement
that the current assurance activities need to be better aligned. Brian Collins,
deputy chair of the Biometrics Assurance Group, is likely to join the IAP in
future to form a Scheme Assurance Panel. SAP could assign particular
biometric focussed tasks to the BAG. BAG could also highlight particluar areas
for further investigation back to SAP. DH, AH and Brian Collins will be meeting
on the 29th June to progress this further. The panel agreed they acted in an
‘advisory’ capacity. DH advised that culturally the BAG and IAP were similar
and that Brain Collins had also advocated the DfT ‘critical friend’ model. DH
advised that the new structure was not an attempt to inject greater formality into
the assurance activitites.
IAP questioned whether this would compromise the BAG’s independence. DH
stated the reporting lines would still be the same. IAP queried how they could
better track changes against areas they had highlighted for improvement and
agreed that they should meet twice yearly with the CEO, early in the year to
agree priorities for the coming year and then later in the year to discuss the
concerns and recommendations raised over the course of a year and to discuss
the IAP Annual Report. The panel agreed the new assurance arrangements in
principle and also agreed this would be taken forward at the meeting on the
29th June for which DH would put together an agenda.
AH asked if members were satisfied they currently spent 12 days a year (their
contracted amount) working for the IAP. Members concurred they were but that
a budgeted amount for extra days might be helpful.
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Agenda
Agenda Item comments
Presenter
Item No.
ACTION : XX to arrange a meeting for AH to discuss with Simon Rice.
4.
Annual Report
The panel discussed the Annual Report and agreed to provide feedback to
XX/XX.
ACTION : IAP to send comments on Annual Report to XX/XX.
Details of Next meetings :
Date: Location: Focus:
Time:
23/07/07
Phone Conference Introduction to Katie Davis
10.00 – 13.00
Update on Crosby work & review first
draft of report
18/09/07 Face-to-Face,
Bill Crothers, update on framework 10.00 – 13.00
London
agreement.
08/10/07 Phone
Conference
10.00 – 13.00
05/11/07 Face-to-Face,
Update to CEO
10.00 – 13.00
London
Annual Report
03/12/07 Phone
Conference
10.00 – 13.00
Version control
Version No.
Date
Reason for Change
Author
Approved for
Distribution by
0.01 20/06/07 Initial
draft
XX
-------------------
0.02 26/06/07 Review
comments
XX
----------------------
0.03
28/06/07
AH review comments
AH
AH
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